We live next door to a family with five children and a dog named Pepper. He is a friendly little dog who enjoys playing with the children. But even though Pepper is friendly and has a happy home, he once had a bad habit. He chased cars. It was this bad habit that got him into trouble one day.
It was winter and Pepper was chasing a car when he slipped on a patch of ice. As he fell his long tail got caught in the back bumper of the car and was badly mangled. His owners took him to the vet who cleaned up and treated his other cuts and bruises. But Pepper’s long tail was in such bad shape that it had to be removed.
Pepper’s five little owners were terribly upset. Poor Pepper! How would he ever get along without his tail? But it did not seem to bother him. He was just as friendly as always. However, there was one thing that had changed —Pepper did not chase cars anymore. He learned his lesson.
We can all learn a lesson from Pepper. We all have problems or sadness. Often the Lord Jesus uses these to make us stop and think. Is there a bad habit we have that God does not like? Are we “chasing” after something that is not pleasing to the Lord?
When problems come up, the first thing to do is go to the Lord Jesus in prayer about them. He sometimes has something to teach us, and He will help us to learn. If we are willing to learn the lesson, then we will be happy in the sunshine of His love. Pepper did not worry about living without his tail, and we do not need to worry about tomorrow, either. How good it is to be able to take everything to God in prayer, and ask Him to help us and guide us.
What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear;
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer.
O, what peace we often forfeit,
O, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer.
ML-02/05/1989